ILO participates in a panel on tackling future priorities for chemicals and waste issues of concern hosted by UNEP and the Geneva Environment Network
29 June 2023
Dr. Manal Azzi, Occupational Safety and Health Team lead at the International Labour Organization, contributed to a panel discussion held at the International Environment House on Thursday, 15 June 2023. The panel was organized as a follow-up to a resolution adopted during the last session of the UN Environment Assembly and focused on Chemicals and Waste Issues of Concern: Tackling Future Priorities.
The panel discussion emphasized the importance of harnessing existing tools such as the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm, and Minamata Conventions and underscored the potential of the upcoming Bonn Declaration (to be considered for adoption in September 2023 at the International Conference for Chemicals Management) as an excellent opportunity to address these issues comprehensively. Additionally, they recognized the crucial role that the new science-policy panel on chemicals, waste, and pollution and the Plastics Treaty will play in tackling these challenges effectively .
Dr. Manal Azzi brought valuable insights and perspectives from the world of work to the table. The ILO has several international labour standards on chemicals that provide a framework for managing chemicals and wastes, including the Chemicals Convention, No. 170 and the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention, No. 174, with workers being disproportionally exposed to hazardous chemicals and their effects.
By strengthening OSH management systems at the national and workplace level toward the goal of ensuring the fundamental right of every worker to a safe and healthy working environment, world of work stakeholders can contribute to the sound management of chemicals and reduce the number of preventable deaths, diseases and injuries.
The panel discussion emphasized the importance of harnessing existing tools such as the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm, and Minamata Conventions and underscored the potential of the upcoming Bonn Declaration (to be considered for adoption in September 2023 at the International Conference for Chemicals Management) as an excellent opportunity to address these issues comprehensively. Additionally, they recognized the crucial role that the new science-policy panel on chemicals, waste, and pollution and the Plastics Treaty will play in tackling these challenges effectively .
Dr. Manal Azzi brought valuable insights and perspectives from the world of work to the table. The ILO has several international labour standards on chemicals that provide a framework for managing chemicals and wastes, including the Chemicals Convention, No. 170 and the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Convention, No. 174, with workers being disproportionally exposed to hazardous chemicals and their effects.
By strengthening OSH management systems at the national and workplace level toward the goal of ensuring the fundamental right of every worker to a safe and healthy working environment, world of work stakeholders can contribute to the sound management of chemicals and reduce the number of preventable deaths, diseases and injuries.